


All Lost Now

by Quinny_Imp



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 02:13:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14534451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quinny_Imp/pseuds/Quinny_Imp
Summary: Powerful Emperor deals with loss.





	All Lost Now

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place right after Nathema Flashpoint.

 

Theron entered the room to find Nayel standing in the middle, staring blankly at what was left of his Eternal Throne. Theron felt shivers going down his spine, thinking that whole Odessen could look like this, had the Order of Zidrog had their way.

He slowly approached Nayel, and stood behind him, in silence. He didn’t know what he could say, so hoped his presence was support enough.

He knew the loss was terrible for Nayel. Growing up as a slave, constantly physically and emotionally hurt for years, he ravished in his freedom since the moment he was taken to Korriban. Climbing the ladder of power, first in the Empire, then in Attira’s Alliance, becoming the most powerful individual in the galaxy probably felt like a destiny’s payback for all the pain he’d had to endure in childhood. Like things were finally getting even and fair.

Now he had lost all that. He was pushed off his powerful pedestal, and it hurt him on a level that no one else could feel.

Theron wanted to take away that pain. He had caused enough trouble recently, and seeing that more things made Nayel suffer angered him.

The Sith turned toward him. “I’m nothing,” he whispered dramatically, then slowly walked toward the exit.

“You’re everything to me.”

Nayel stopped, but didn’t turn or make any other move. Then resumed his pace. Theron didn’t take it personally.

The Emperor has fallen. Theron wanted to cheer up the little scared slave left behind.

  


oOo

  


Malavai watched Attira for a moment. They stood outside of their ship, watching Nil’awr chasing butterflies in warm sun of the day.

“I never wanted this anyway. I gave it away to Nayel for a reason,” she suddenly said. He knew she wasn’t finished, so waited in silence for her next thought. “Maybe it’s time to return home.”

“Home?”

“Acina expressed her invitation.”

“You’d want to serve a Sith lesser than you?”

She gave him a surprised look. “I didn’t think I’d ever hear you say something unflattering about a Sith.”

He was quiet, but her expectant look was an obvious indication she wanted an answer.

“I served the Empire all my life to the best of my abilities. I was put in front of court martial and almost executed for it. I served a Sith faithfully, only to discover he was one fat liar,” the pun was unintended but not lost on him, “and tried to manipulate me into assassinating of a true patriot. Then I had an honour to fully serve you and Darth Vowraun, a brief moment of true Empire greatness, which ended when you got carbon frozen, and the throne was taken by Acina. She let an incompetent, traitorous scum run many affairs, which he did with the lone intent of gaining personal power. He refused to search for you. He imprisoned me for my efforts. She let me rot in prison, and him scheme behind her back to the point she didn’t see his assassination attempt on her life coming. She let me out when it was convenient for her. Or because she was too afraid of you.”

He knew he sounded a lot more bitter than intended. He also knew much of what he’d just said was Mili’s words a while back.

“You don’t want to go back,” she said with surprise.

“I would, if you and Nayel took over the Empire. The entity in existence is not… what I’d like to serve. It’s not my Empire.”

She looked back at her son. “He’d grow up on Dromund Kaas, like you. Then he would go to Korriban for training. Is that a bad future?”

“He can as well grow up here, in sun, chasing butterflies. And I know little about internal Sith affairs, but I doubt they would send away such a candidate, Imperial citizen or not.”

She was silent.

He thought it was probably the first time he expressed his disagreement on something this major. He knew he’d follow her wherever she’d decide to go, though, because she was all he needed.

  


oOo

  


Mili went through motions almost automatically. Beniko had failed at her job again, not being able to prevent the Gemini droid spying on them, and he was done giving her another chance “to prove herself”. That was the last failure. She was fired. This time he would do it himself, because incompetencemaster could not be trusted with anything.

He went to the Throne Room, and found Nayel sitting by what was left of the throne. At first he thought the Sith was brooding again, but Nayel was actually busy with something in his hands.

He knew Nayel had taken the destruction of his power hard. He also knew Acina had sent him a letter, in which she said she’d welcome him back, but Mili doubted Nayel would want to serve under her. He had never respected her, when they were equal in the Dark Council, even less after she took the Imperial throne in chaos, instead of defeating its previous owner, like a true Sith should.

But most of all, Nayel didn’t want to lose his own power. He liked being an Emperor.

Mili had received his own letter from Acina. She wrote he was ‘pardoned’ and was welcome back. Mili bit his lower lip in anger. ‘Pardoned’ for what, exactly! For not letting that trash, Lorman, assassinate him? For being forced into exile to save his own life.

Mili had seen a lot of ugly in the Empire. Working as a part of the underbelly spy machine he had seen more ugly than an average person. He still cared about it, about its people, citizens, and what the Empire could be. But right now he was not very eager to return; and hearing what had happened to Vector fed that feeling.

Nayel rose to his feet, and headed for the exit in a brisk pace. He seemed to be filled with new energy. He noticed Mili. “How long have you been here?”

“A couple of minutes.”

“You need anything?”

“I just wanted to tell you that whatever you decide to do, I’ll stick with you. If you decide to keep the Alliance, I’ll be by your side. If you decide to take Acina’s offer, I’ll go with you, and together we can fix all that is wrong with the Empire.”

Nayel smiled. He put his hand on Mili’s shoulder and squeezed lightly. Mili nodded, then the Sith resumed his walk toward the exit.


End file.
